The Thing She Needs
by SSJL
Summary: Booth explains to his brother why he's such a pushover for his favorite forensic anthropologist.


**A/N: This came out of my comtemplations about why I get INFURIATED at the thought of Booth dating/sleeping with/flirting with other women, when I only get mildly annoyed at Brennan for doing the same thing with other men. Why is it so _important _that Booth save all his lovin' for Bren? Let's see if Jared can find out.;-)**

--

He wasn't listening to me. I was telling him a truly epic story about these lovely twins who performed for me Bollywood-style while I was in India, and he wasn't listening. Following his distracted gaze, it became readily apparent _why _he wasn't. Tempe was on the other side of the diner with one of her many professor-friends. The ones who thought it was high entertainment to talk about quarks.

"It's not fair, you know," I told him as I stirred half-and-half into our second cup of coffee.

He dragged his eyes from the other diner patrons and back to the person he was _supposed _to be sharing lunch with. "What's not fair?"

I nodded in the direction of the lovely Tempe, who was listening intently to said quark-talk. "You've been living like a damn monk for the past few years. I mean, I get that you have a hard-on for the girl, and I completely hope that she has a change of heart and realizes soon that her goal in life is to be your Donna Reed, but…"

At least he didn't pretend to not know what I was talking about. "I don't want her to be Donna Reed."

"…whatever," I continued, ignoring him, "but until that time…you gotta get _laid, _man. _She's _getting laid. I'm worried about you. I'm worried about your dick. It's going to fall off from lack of use. Do you want that? Do you _want _to finally get to the critical moment with Tempe, and then have her realize your dick fell off? Do you want…"

"Jared, stop being dramatic."

"Just sayin'." I shrugged, looking down at my coffee.

"This is the thing she needs from me," he told me thoughtfully, his voice maddeningly patient with me.

"To be celibate while she's allowed to screw anybody she wants?" I scoffed at the idea.

"That's…not quite what it's like."

"Really? Because that's what it looks like from over here."

He sighed. "Bones is the most self-sufficient woman I've ever met. There's not a whole hell of a lot she needs from other people. And as strong as that makes her, the fact is that one of the reasons she _is _that way is because she's learned not to depend on others. The most significant people in her life have left her, Jared. _Each one. _Because they found something or someone they decided was more important."

I eyed him. "So she has Daddy issues. I get that. What does it have to do with you getting your wick dipped every now and then?"

"She needs me to be faithful to her. She doesn't know it. She might even try to get me so frustrated that I turn away from her and to someone else, because that would confirm the way she sees the world. But I'm not going to fall into that trap. I'm not going to betray her because I feel lonely, or impatient, or horny. This is one worth sticking out."

I cupped my warm mug and shook my head disbelievingly, not quite comprehending how he and I came from the same gene pool. "Jesus, Seel. I'm not sure if you're a saint, or a schmuck."

"I'd like to think I'm just a man who knows what he wants."

"So what do you need from her? Because if she's not giving you something _you _need, I'm going to declare this thing a one-sided exercise in torturing yourself.

He paused for a long moment, and I could see the wheels turning in his head. _Really _thinking about this one. "I need her to be proud of me."

I smirked. My tough FBI older brother, and his one true weakness. "Do you think she is?"

He sipped at his cup slowly. "Yeah. I think so. I _hope _so. We've both faltered during our time together. But…we're learning. That's what's important."

I saw Tempe approaching out of the corner of my eye, and being a good brother I tried to make Seeley stop talking by using jerking head motions that probably just made it appear that I had a severe tic. However ridiculous, it did its job.

"Hey Jared. Booth." She glanced between us almost gingerly. "Are you going back to the lab?" she addressed my brother.

His eyes switched up at her, and he gave her a familiar smile that made it seem he was almost expecting the question. "Sure, Bones."

"I could use a ride. I mean, Matthew could drive me, but it's out of his way and…I enjoy accompanying you and…"

"It's fine, Bones. We're actually done here. Was just finishing my coffee slowly, waiting to see if you needed a ride."

"Oh. Well." Her face colored a little. Tempe never really seemed to understand gestures more subtle than an out-of-the-blue kiss at a public event, but her blush seemed to indicate that she noticed that what Seeley did for her was…special. "You didn't have to wait for me."

"He always does." I couldn't help piping up, looking innocent in response to his venomous glare.

"He does." Smiling tentatively, she reached out and touched his bicep, and his eyes widened a little bit, seemingly surprised by her unexpected affectionate response. And in _her _eyes, I saw…hope. Appreciation.

Tentative faith.

"Thanks, Booth." Her voice was soft.

_She's learning._

And for the first time, I could see what my brother was waiting for. And hell if I wasn't a little proud of him for having the strength and patience to do it.

It wasn't _my _pride that he needed.

But when he grinned as I gave him a half-nod of acceptance and approval, I knew that it couldn't hurt.

--

**A/N: Oh, and by the way, if you've been wondering where I've been fanfic-wise? Me and some other dirty little girls have started a too-awesome-for-words Bones kink community over at LiveJournal. Very X-rated and NSFW stuffs.:-) Some of it's a little too out there for this site, so it's on LJ exclusively. Feel free to join if you are over 18 and are into the more out-there smut stuffs (link in my profile), but...don't say I didn't waaaaarn you.:-D**

**Loves.  
**


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